Hi,

“Neuromobs” is a “young” technique and actively followed by David BUTLER, Michael SHACKLOCK and COPPIETERS. There is some valuable papers available already on PubMed.

If we consider a nerve as a sensitive structure (the only one sensitive, in fact), then an injury, a repeated stress or a limited motion created by an upper tightness, may changes the available length or some of the elastic properties of it. Releasing the tightness in limb, then elongating gently neural structures in flexion/extension at ankle and toes will give some “room” to the nerve and suppress pain.

Neural mobilization is soft method and it's because it is “soft” that it works. If you try to stretch then you compress nerve by muscle and lost effectiveness.